Floor 54 of Aincrad—with the frontline now reaching Floor 69, this area had gradually transformed into a mid-level zone. Amidst this shift, I was busy gathering materials to complete a specific quest.
"Take this!"
"Good hit! Keep it up!"
At the edge of the floor, I stumbled upon a four-man party battling humanoid monsters. I pulled back into the shadows of a tree, observing them in silence.
The group consisted of a one-handed swordsman who appeared to be the leader, an armored spearman acting as the "Tank," a man with glasses armed with a mace and a buckler, and a girl wielding a curved sword. Their formation was solid enough. They were fighting "Crescent Werewolves," creatures known for their powerful arms, sharp claws, and savage lunges. Given their team composition, the enemy shouldn't have been a problem; they simply needed to cycle between defense and offense. However...
"Graaaaaa!"
"Wha—!?"
The defender failed to parry a biting lunge and lost his balance. The beast pounced, aiming for his throat, while the other three launched a desperate, disorganized strike to drive it back.
"Their positioning is all wrong! You aren't fighting a massive Floor Boss!" I thought to myself.
The four were trying to surround the werewolf to trigger their Sword Skills, but two were about to activate horizontal slashes while standing side-by-side. The rule for surrounding a target is simple: either use vertical slashes together or stick to basic attacks. In the worst-case scenario, their Sword Skills would collide, triggering "Skill Resultant Stiffness" and leaving them both frozen.
"Dammit."
I couldn't just stand there. Cursing under my breath, I drew the spear from my back and activated the two-handed straight spear skill: "Swift Lunge". Known as the fastest among all spear techniques, the strike pierced the werewolf's throat before they could even move, shattering the monster into countless digital fragments.
"Wait a minute! Kill-stealing is against the rules!"
"My apologies, but your fighting style was so dangerous I couldn't just watch."
"What...!?"
"Easy now, Shigure. It looks like he saved us anyway."
The swordsman tried to calm his angry companion, the girl with the curved sword.
"So, thanks for the help, I guess? I'm Ryugi, the leader of this party."
Ryugi extended a hand with a friendly smile. I sensed instinctively that this man was my polar opposite—one of those naturally bright, social individuals.
"Our leader... Ryugi-san, you really are our rock."
"That's right. This party only exists because of you, Ryugi."
"Don't overpraise me. You're all doing your best. Standing your ground against the monsters on this floor is proof enough of that."
"This floor... sorry for asking, but what are your levels? Are you maintaining a proper safety margin?"
"Seriously, you have no manners at all. Your gear looks expensive, but is everyone in the high-level groups as rude as you?"
"Shigure, don't start a fight. He clearly didn't mean any harm."
While Shigure, the only girl in the group, turned her head away in annoyance, Ryugi revealed their levels after getting the nod from his other two companions: the gentle-faced defender, Roten, and the man with glasses, Havel.
Ryugi was Level 60. Shigure was 54. Roten was 51. Havel was 53.
Hearing their levels made my head spin.
They were low—dangerously low. While three of them fell within the acceptable range for this floor, Ryugi, their highest at Level 60, didn't even meet the standard Aincrad safety margin (Floor Level + 10). Worse yet, how was the defender—the very foundation of their protection—the lowest level among them?
They seemed to be compensating for their levels with equipment, but even that gear was barely holding up here.
"Who suggested grinding on this floor?"
"I did. You know how it is—stronger monsters give better XP."
Ryugi's logic wasn't wrong in theory, but even the elite frontline clearers prepare with extreme caution when fighting in areas that match their levels. These people, however...
"Let me give you some advice: you're better off leveling on lower floors, like Floor 50. As long as you're struggling this much with a single werewolf, the risk isn't worth the reward."
"We understand that, but it would be too late."
Havel adjusted his glasses, speaking with sudden, heavy gravity.
"You know them, don't you? Those people they call 'Beaters'."
"Yes... I know them."
"Because of them, a friend of mine died early in the game. If they hadn't hoarded the information, we wouldn't have lost those players."
"Me too... I had an acquaintance die in a dungeon trap that a Beater left without a warning. If they had just told us the chest was dangerous..."
"As you can see, this party is united by the loss of friends and precious things because of Beaters. We heard they're still acting like they own the frontlines, and we can't just let things stay that way."
"We don't want literal revenge, but we hate how Beaters act all arrogant just because they're strong."
"So we'll become strong too. We'll prove to them on the frontlines that we don't need their damn 'Beater power' anymore."
"With the Knights of the Blood Oath and the Holy Dragon Alliance leading the clearing efforts, the pace of the climb has accelerated. If we keep working slowly on the lower floors, we'll never catch up to the elites."
So that was why they were risking their lives. It was only natural to order them back to the lower floors immediately, but something stopped the words in my throat.
If these "Beaters"—myself included—were the reason they were driven to such recklessness, wasn't it my duty to look after them until they could fight here safely? That was the thought that took hold of me.
"I understand your situation. In that case, let me accompany you. Like I said, your combat has too many openings. I'll join you temporarily until I fix your mistakes and everyone reaches Level 60. Do you have a problem with that?"
Shigure looked resentful, but Ryugi welcomed the offer, and Havel and Roten agreed to let me join.
And so, a new journey of atonement for being a Beater began in that place.
Several days passed. I balanced my time between frontline clearing and training Ryugi's party. Thanks to Ryugi's leadership, they worked hard to overcome obstacles even in my absence.
"Hup!"
"Good, keep that up. Remember, the defender is the party's lifeline. That shield isn't just to protect you; it's to protect your friends. When you block, shove forward with force, or you'll be knocked back by any charging attack like last time."
"Amazing... since I started doing what you said, Mitsuki, my defense has become much more stable."
"A brave defender is in high demand on the frontlines. Keep at it."
I began by fixing Roten's habit of over-protecting himself and pulling his shield back, and I taught him a bit about spear-handling.
"The biggest advantage of a buckler is its lightness and maneuverability. That means it's easy to launch counterattacks. As long as Roten is there, you won't have to step forward much, but when you defend, take a stance that lets you respond with an immediate Sword Skill."
"I see... this is more useful than I expected."
Then came Havel's turn. I corrected his tendency to either only defend or only attack. Though fighting monsters differs from the player-vs-player combat I had mastered, I taught him the basics of the counter-offensive.
As for Shigure...
"I have no desire to learn anything from anyone but Ryugi."
"Just pay attention to your surroundings when using Sword Skills."
I calmly pointed out her need for spatial awareness, reminding her of the time she nearly hit her allies with a horizontal slash while they were surrounding a monster.
Ryugi himself had no real issues as a leader. They seemed to have talent; the party's performance improved remarkably in just a few days.
After some time, I headed to the central area of Floor 50, Algade, visiting Agil's shop to sell materials I had gathered during training and hunting.
Roten had reached Level 58 today, while the others had successfully broken the Level 60 barrier.
"Just a little more..." I thought.
The agreement was that I would stay until everyone reached Level 60. Once Roten hit that mark, I could return fully to the frontlines.
As I opened the door to Agil's shop, I ran into an unexpected visitor.
"This is rare. Alice, what are you doing here?"
"I had some business. You haven't changed, I see...?"
"Alice?"
Alice suddenly fell silent, staring intently at my face.
"What is it?"
"You look a bit exhausted. Our meetings have been rare lately. Are you pushing yourself too hard on your own?"
Her observation flustered me slightly. I was indeed splitting my energy between Ryugi's party and frontline duties. Though I tried to rest, the fatigue had clearly accumulated.
"Maybe you're right. I'm a little tired. I'll take a good break soon."
"If it's about clearing dungeons or maze areas, I can accompany you—"
"No need to worry. You're busy too, and I'm almost done with my work here."
"Fine, as you wish. But don't you dare overwork yourself."
"I'll keep that in mind. By the way, what business brought you here?"
"Right. It's better that I tell both you and Agil. Lately, there has been a string of player deaths ranging from the mid-level zones up to the frontlines."
Tension filled the room the moment Alice spoke.
"Accidents? Or do you mean Player Killing?"
"The Knights of the Blood Oath suspect the latter. I heard Agil was interested in training mid-level players, so I came to warn him."
It had been nearly a year since Sword Art Online turned into a death game. Since the early days, PKers had existed. Those who abandoned clearing to hunt humans were growing in number, becoming known as the murder guild, "Laughing Coffin", feared by all.
The methods used in these new incidents weren't clear yet, but it was said there were victims even from the Knights of the Blood Oath. Though they weren't top-tier clearers, their levels and gear made dying in those areas almost impossible. Their deaths were confirmed at the Black Iron Palace.
"For PKers, their target range seems incredibly wide. Killing mid-level players isn't new, but suddenly targeting frontline clearers is suspicious..."
"If the goal was to disrupt the clearing effort, the deaths would be exclusive to the frontlines. It's natural to see them as separate cases, but..."
"The number of victims is rising fast. The Knights of the Blood Oath are collaborating with other guilds to investigate. Please, both of you, be careful."
"Understood. I'll tell everyone who comes to the shop."
"Thank you. Mitsuki, watch your back. I don't doubt your skills, but a solo player is a prime target for treacherous murder gangs."
"Yeah, you be careful too, Alice."
"I will. I'll update you if I hear anything new. Goodbye."
Days later, to put the finishing touches on our training, we were in a dungeon at the edge of Floor 54.
"Hup! Havel, Switch!"
"Got it! Haaaa!"
Roten brilliantly blocked a Lamia monster's spear attack with his shield, then switched with Havel, who was waiting behind him. Havel delivered a counter Sword Skill that struck the monster's lower body.
Immediately, the two stepped aside to clear the way. Shigure was fully prepared, her curved sword ready.
"Yaaaaah!"
With a powerful surge, she delivered three consecutive strikes followed by a heavy thrust that pierced the Lamia. The four-hit curved sword skill, "Raging Chopper", depleted the monster's remaining HP.
At the same time...
"I did it! I hit Level 60!"
Roten, the lowest level in the group, had reached the goal. While he hadn't reached the absolute safety margin, his companions had leveled up as well, making them more than capable of protecting him.
"Congrats, Roten! You made it!"
"Thanks, Ryugi! And Mitsuki, thank you so much too!"
"You're the one who put in the work, Roten. Congratulations."
Roten looked ecstatic, shaking hands with Havel and Shigure while thanking everyone.
"Alright, now that we've hit the goal, let's head back."
"So soon? Can't we go a bit deeper...?"
"To be honest, your emotions are too high right now because of the success, and Roten still hasn't reached the full safety margin. It's better to go back and save it for another day."
Ryugi agreed with my calm assessment and suggested withdrawing from the dungeon. Though they wanted to continue, they obeyed their leader's decision.
On the way back...
"Look! Isn't that a treasure chest?"
"Really!? I thought this dungeon had been completely looted."
"Stop right there."
I stopped Roten and the others as they moved to run toward the chest.
"Does any of you have the "Picking" skill?"
Finding an unopened chest in a cleared dungeon almost always means a trap. A player with a high-level lockpicking skill could open it without triggering the trap, but...
Roten, Shigure, and Ryugi shook their heads, while Havel adjusted his glasses proudly.
"Don't worry, I have the Picking skill."
"What's the level?"
"I haven't mastered it yet, but I've never failed to open chests on the Floor 40 levels."
I thought about it for a moment. If he could open Floor 49 chests without errors, he would likely succeed in this early-50s floor. As long as we had a way to withdraw, it was fine.
"Fine. Just in case, everyone get your "Teleport Crystals" ready in your hands."
"If there's a trap, we'll need to secure the escape route. Mitsuki and I will watch the area. You three go ahead."
After Ryugi emphasized the need to teleport immediately if the exit was blocked, Havel and the others moved cautiously toward the chest. Ryugi and I stood with our backs to them, keeping watch and chatting casually.
"So, Ryugi, you weren't with those three from the start?"
"No. Just like you, Mitsuki, I felt like helping them, so I formed this party."
"Didn't you invite anyone else? Members from your previous party, for example?"
"Ah... yeah, it's a bit complicated."
Ryugi fell silent with a vague tone. I remembered him saying earlier that "everyone in this party lost something to Beaters." Perhaps he had lost his companions too...
"I apologize. I shouldn't have pried."
"Don't worry about it. By the way, I wanted to ask you about—"
Suddenly, a system message appeared in my field of vision.
"Excuse me, it's a message from an acquaintance."
I opened the message; it was from Alice. It seemed the investigation into the murders had made progress.
"Investigation Report"
The identities and methods of the killers aren't known yet, but through the DDA info network, we spoke to a player who knew one of the victims. I'm sharing this for your safety. In short, there are common denominators among all victims:
1. On the same day a frontline player was killed, several mid-level players were killed in the same location.
2. Friends of the mid-level players said they mentioned a few days before their deaths: "We're going to level up with a kind-hearted player we met."
3. All the victimized mid-level players held deep grudges against 'Beaters'.
The moment I read the message, my hand moved instinctively to the spear on my back.
I gripped the handle near the tip and pulled it forward with lightning speed. Because of the spear's length, the weapon snapped forward using my shoulder as a pivot—and the butt of the spear slammed into a blade that was about to rip through my body.
I shot a sharp look at the attacker while sliding into a combat stance.
"I'll ask out of curiosity—what exactly do you mean by this, Ryugi?"
The attacker—Ryugi—didn't answer. Instead, he lunged again with rapid movements entirely different from what he had shown before. Sword clashed with spear, sparks flying. I asked again as we engaged in close-quarters struggle:
"Why did you hide your true level and stay with this party!? Do you plan to betray them too!?"
No answer. I pressed all my physical strength into the spear, shoving Ryugi and his sword away amidst a shower of sparks.
I regained my stance, while Ryugi stumbled back, his sword falling from his hand.
I was currently Level 86. For someone to hold their own against me even for a few seconds in a direct clash, it meant they were far beyond the rank of mid-level players. Ryugi was at least Level 70 or higher—he had the strength to fight on the frontlines.
But could I incapacitate him without hurting him? Simply clashing weapons didn't turn his cursor orange; he was still green. Depending on what happened next, I might be the one who turned orange.
"What's going on here!?"
Shigure and the others returned after hearing the noise. They stood frozen in shock at the scene.
"Everyone, run—"
"Don't come any closer!"
Ryugi's voice cut me off, screaming at the group.
"Run, quickly! This man... Mitsuki is a 'Beater'!"
"What...!?"
I could only stare in amazement at this sudden turn, while Ryugi continued his lies.
"While I was waiting for you, he suddenly attacked me! He's definitely planning to steal our money and gear here!"
"What kind of nonsense..."
Ryugi's words were beyond illogical. Whether he was improvising or speaking with certainty, regardless of me being a Beater, there was no real benefit to deceiving mid-level players for their gear. Fighting on the frontlines provided far better gold, items, and XP. There had been no reason to accompany them for days.
I thought it was just a desperate lie they would quickly see through, but...
"A Beater... like those scum...!"
"Because of you...!"
"Shigure, Roten...!?"
Ironically, the two believed Ryugi's words. My last hope was Havel. He was rational and logical; he should have stepped in to calm things down.
But what I saw in Havel's eyes was a cold look filled with contempt.
"Wait, this makes no sense! Why do you believe Ryugi!?"
"It seems you don't know why Shigure hates Beaters yet."
"Early in the game, she was nearly assaulted by a group who claimed to be beta testers... scum just like you!"
Sword Art Online is a virtual world, but since its inhabitants are human, various problems arise. Beyond murder and theft, the issue of sexual harassment exists. In the virtual world, wounds leave no mark on the physical body, and during full-dive, the real body cannot move. There were fears even before the game launched about people exploiting this situation to commit vile acts.
Of course, the game provides protection via the "Harassment Prevention Code." If someone approaches another player or an NPC inappropriately, this system prompt appears. If the target is an NPC, the perpetrator is immediately sent to the Black Iron Palace prisons. Between players, it's a bit different.
If a female player is harassed, a window appears for her to activate the prevention code. Once she presses the button, the aggressor is sent to jail without question. But there is a fatal, disgusting loophole in this system. Since the code requires manual input, if several people pin down the victim's hands and feet and prevent her from opening the system window, she is left entirely helpless.
It seemed Shigure had nearly fallen victim to this method at the hands of men who claimed to be "Beta Testers." Whether they actually were, I don't know—it's impossible to distinguish them by the system, and a real tester would be focused on clearing—or was that just an idealistic thought on my part?
Regardless, Shigure was conflating "Beta Testers" and "Beaters" because of her trauma. Even if I corrected the concept, it wouldn't heal her psychological wounds, let alone Roten and Havel who had lost their friends. If I revealed my identity as a Beater now, all my words would be seen as mere justification and evasion of responsibility.
The hatred for Beaters was boiling in their eyes.
On that day we defeated the first-floor boss, Kirito and I accepted the "Beater" label as a price for our atonement, to carry everyone's hatred on our shoulders. Naturally, I faced looks of contempt many times, but as the clearing progressed, I felt some were starting to trust us. Perhaps that was why I felt a false sense of security. But on this day, I realized once again the weight of that label, and the meaning of being hated by others.
What happened next is still etched perfectly in my memory despite the years.
They began fighting me, incited by Ryugi. I stuck to defending myself, trying desperately to convince them, but they wouldn't listen.
"I've contacted my acquaintances in the Knights of the Blood Oath. You have a choice: either your gear is stripped and you're thrown into a solitary cell, or you die right here at our hands."
Havel's words—he apparently had connections to the Knights—gave me a glimmer of hope.
"Fine. Then tell your guildmates to inform the Vice-Commander."
If Asuna or Alice, or even one of the clearers who knew me, found out, this might end without unnecessary sacrifice.
"Hah, fine. Though I think your attempts are futile—wait...!?"
Before I realized it, Havel's head fell. Behind his body, which dissolved in a digital explosion, Ryugi appeared, swinging a massive dagger.
"Don't interfere with what doesn't concern you, four-eyes. Do you want to ruin the play I worked so hard to prepare?"
"Ryu... Ryugi... what are you doing—"
"A shame, but the decision was made to get rid of you. You're all too weak; Mitsuki didn't even have to use his strength. So, it's time for a cleanup."
He said this and approached Roten with his usual rapid movement, beginning to tear into him with his dagger.
"Heh—stop... Nooooo!"
"Roten!"
I tried to intervene, but Ryugi was glued to him, and the panicked Roten was waving his spear wildly, making it impossible to get close. His shield and spear were useless at that range, and though he held on for a bit as a defender, he breathed his last with a stab to the face.
"Hahaha... you hear that, Mr. Beater? Two died because of you."
"What are you saying...?"
"If you had taught that fat guy how to fight in close quarters, he might have lived a little longer. And if you had just surrendered to death without resisting, maybe that four-eyes would still be alive."
"Looking at your face now, I don't think you would have left them alive even if I had died."
"Oh, you're very sharp. Correct answer!"
I tried to buy time by talking while I thought. Ryugi was an extremely skilled fighter, and facing him while protecting Shigure behind me would be a disadvantage.
"Shigure. When I give you the signal, use the crystal and teleport to Floor 15 and call for help."
That's where the Knights of the Blood Oath headquarters in Granzam was located. By securing Shigure's escape, I could hold out until reinforcements arrived.
"Shigure?"
I thought she was frozen in terror, but I suddenly felt a familiar curved sword pierce my stomach from behind.
"Heh... heh—so, you're the fourth."
"What are you thinking...!?"
Wait, what did she say? "Fourth"—the word echoed in my mind while the sword was still in my body, until I reached the truth.
They were partners. Ryugi and Shigure had been working together from the start. The recent string of murders of frontline players was their handiwork.
"Don't blame me. This is so I can live. Die for me, please."
"Dammit...!"
I turned with force and shoved Shigure away, then pulled the sword from my gut and threw it aside. Though it was a treacherous stab, the level gap between us was massive, and my defensive gear was far stronger. Thanks to the "Battle Healing" skill, the actual damage was minor.
"Tch, frontline players really are tough. Ryugi, finish him!"
Ryugi pulled out another dagger—different from the one he had been playing with—and drove it into Shigure's throat.
"Wha... what—what...!?"
Shigure couldn't speak because of the dagger. Ryugi laughed mockingly and said:
"Don't you know your place, Shigure-chan? You're weaker than me, so how do you dare give me orders? When did you become so important?"
"Ah... ga—!"
"Alright, today's riddle: why did I decide to get rid of you now, after you helped me kill three frontline players?"
He didn't wait for her answer but continued:
"Honestly, I'm sick of you. At first, I thought your style was like our leader's, so I thought I might learn something... but your way is boring and too complicated. The leader does it with much more elegance."
"So you are—a member of 'Laughing Coffin'."
"Sharp as always! Grand correct answer! You're entirely different from this idiot. But no matter—I enjoyed her final expressions, so I'll call it a day."
He twisted the dagger in her throat then pulled it out, pushing her body toward me.
"And now, since the Knights of the Blood might arrive any moment, I'll take my leave."
"You bastard—!"
"Now, now, you can chase me, but are you going to let this idiot die?"
It seemed he had used a poor-quality dagger on purpose to make her HP drop slowly and painfully. If I didn't treat her immediately, she would certainly die.
"Dammit!"
"Hahaha! We'll meet again if it's fated, Mr. "Blazing Tip"! And don't forget to pray for the souls of the fat guy and the four-eyes who died for you!"
Ryugi's voice faded into the darkness as I knelt to support Shigure. A system message appeared stating the party had been disbanded.
"Shigure, hang on!"
What she had done was unforgivable, but she was the only source of information about these crimes. I couldn't let her die. More importantly, I didn't want to witness a player's death in front of me again like what happened on the first floor.
"Mi... tsuki—no, help me... I don't want to die...!"
"I know, I'll use a "Healing Crystal" now—!"
But Shigure's hand gripped mine with terrifying strength as she was in her final moments. It seemed her panic made her cling to anything. Despite my strength, I couldn't easily pry her hand off while her health bar was depleting.
"I don't want to! I don't want to die! Why!? Why me—!"
"Please, calm down, Shigure! Let go of my hand!"
"No! Noooooooo!"
"Shigure!!"
When I shouted her name, her movement and voice stopped suddenly. Her tear-filled eyes met mine as she stared into the void.
"—, —"
Immediately, Shigure's body crumbled into digital shards and vanished.
The Knights of the Blood Oath arrived five minutes later. Fortunately, there was someone among them who knew me, so I wasn't accused of anything, but...
"Die, you damn Beater."
Those words she whispered in her final moment would remain driven into the depths of my chest forever.
A few months later, the crusade against the murder guild, "Laughing Coffin", would begin. The goal was to capture them and incapacitate them without bloodshed, but after the first victim from the crusade team fell...
I lost my mind and killed five of the murderers (red-colored players) with my own hands.
Among those captured alive, the name "Ryugi" was never found.
•
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